Simple Cheese Souffle

I saw this recipe on a Club W card and knew I had to try it out. For those of you that don’t know, Club W is a wine of the month club. Each month you get to pick how many wines you want and with those wines you often get a recipe to pair with the wine. Often times I don’t try out the recipes on the cards because they either have meat in them, and I’m a vegetarian so obviously that’s not going to happen, or they look to complicated and/or too time consuming for me to make. Luckily, this particular recipe looked simple and delicious and I’ve been meaning to attempt a souffle for a long time. The turnout was scrumptious and filling; a perfect main dish for lunch or supper.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to butter

6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Cups whole milk, cold

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon pepper

5 Extra large eggs, beaten

2 1/2 Cups swiss cheese, grated

3 Tablespoons fresh chive blades, minced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400º F.

In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, melt the six tablespoons of butter. Add the flour, stir, and cook for about a minute or until it smells nutty. Add about two tablespoons of milk at a time, whisking to combine. At first, it’ll be super thick – but just keep adding liquid and stirring. You should end up with a thick, velvety sauce. If it’s a little thin, cook and stir for a few minutes until it reduces; if it’s too think, add a little more milk. Take the sauce off the heat, and season with salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust if needed.

Add the eggs, cheese, and chives to the white sauce, and mix well to combine. Pour into the buttered dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the souffle is puffy and well-browned on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!